The 49ers had the NFL's best point-differential (+178) and were the only team to finish top-five both in yards per play and yards per play against last season, as they are loaded on both sides of the ball. The offense should provide a ton of fantasy goldmines, thanks largely to head coach Kyle Shanahan's system that's incredibly friendly to quarterbacks.
Brock Purdy took the league by storm in 2022, going from "Mr. Irrelevant" to leading the NFL in touchdown passes after taking over in Week 13. He looks fully recovered from elbow surgery and enters 2023 as San Francisco's starter. Purdy was among the leaders in fantasy points per dropback last season, and he should have an even better grasp of the offense in Year 2. Purdy is in a terrific situation and gets to throw to multiple stars, so he's an extremely underrated fantasy QB entering 2023. Purdy isn't being drafted as a top-20 fantasy QB but will likely finish top-12 if healthy.
Christian McCaffrey thrived after getting traded to San Francisco last season and is one of the top-three picks in fantasy drafts. CMC proved doubters wrong playing in all 17 games last season, when he had to learn the 49ers complex rushing system on the fly. McCaffrey saw his opportunities drop some when Elijah Mitchell was healthy, but CMC is the clear top fantasy back entering 2023 given his skills and role in one of the league's best offenses. A 1,000/1,000 season is well within reach. Tyrion Davis-Price has also looked like a new player this summer and has become a real threat for SF's offense. TDP is a fantasy sleeper.
Deebo Samuel is a strong fantasy pick who's drafted as a top-20 wide receiver, but don't be surprised when Brandon Aiyuk picks up where he left off in 2022. Aiyuk has been one of the most impressive performers in training camp throughout the league, and this is the year his exceptional route running could turn into elite fantasy production. He dominated SF's air yardage share last season and should really benefit from Purdy's accuracy downfield. Aiyuk could be one of the best fantasy picks of 2023.
George Kittle is drafted as a top-five fantasy tight end after scoring a career-high 11 touchdowns last year. It should be noted his target share dropped to 13.7% when the rest of San Francisco's pass catchers were healthy, but it's hard to argue with the results after Purdy took over. Tight end remains a weak spot throughout the league, so Kittle is another strong fantasy option in San Francisco.
San Francisco's defense is typically the first off the board in fantasy drafts, with big offseason addition Javon Hargrave joining reigning DPOY Nick Bosa along the line. Bosa led the league in pressures above expectation last season and now gets more help. SF has a tough schedule when it comes to rest in 2023, but with an offense that ranked second in the NFL in EPA per play with Purdy as QB and a dominant defense that ranked first in EPA/drive, the 49ers have all the makings to be a top contender in 2023.
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